Lying on his back, Phoenix was down and out. His eyes were closed, his body limp. Blood seeped from his eyebrow, bruising and swelling visible on his left cheek, his right eye and his chest.
I couldn't breathe, my lungs were stinging, dry and constricted with panic.
Jett had his fingers on his brothers neck, eyes wide as he searched for a pulse.
"I knew this was going to happen" He mumbled, lightly slapping Phoenix on his undamaged cheek, attempting to wake him
"He needs a hospital" I stuttered, my fingers tracing his ribcage, the bruising severe
Jett's gaze lifted to me briefly, shaking his head
"He could have internal bleeding Jett, he might not be dead yet, but it could still happen" I told him angrily
"No" Jett snapped, rubbing his temples
"He's been worse, he'll be okay" Nova added, looking over his friend casually
I couldn't believe the downplay over Phoenix's condition.
Suddenly, Phoenix began to shift, his eyebrows creasing in the middle as his eyes fluttered awake.
"Eden" A new voice entered beside me as I leaned down
I glanced up and saw Gonzales standing there
Slowly standing, I felt my temper rise
"You're a lot prettier in person" He smiled, proud of himself, sinister "I'm sorry about your boy" He continued, his voice tinged with a Hispanic accent.
I had always loved the accent, until now
I shook my head "No you aren't, this is what you wanted"
Bravery had inserted itself in me, taking over alongside the fury.
"This needed to happen, this has been coming since before you even knew this world existed sweetheart"
"It needed to happen to what, fulfil your ego? You haven't taken enough of him already?" I snapped back
He took a step towards me as a crowd grew around us, curious ears and eyes anticipating another fight
"I can see why he likes you" Gonzales reveled "My brother told me you were a sweet girl, quiet and shy, I can see now that he was wrong"
"Oscar" I stumbled, recalling the new information
Like clockwork, perfect timing entered, Oscar joining his brother's side, his eyes on mine, wide, just as surprised as me to the revelation of involvement
"Eden" Oscar looked the same as he did the last time I had seen him "What are you doing here?"
I wondered if he was playing stupid, or if he really had no idea as to what was going on
Gonzales smiled and threw an arm around his brothers shoulder, I watched them carefully, their eyes suddenly moving from me to something, or someone behind me
I turned and noticed Phoenix standing upright, one hand wiping over the blood on his cheek. He had quickly recovered from his unconscious state, leering towards me and the men in front of me. Jett stood beside him, worried he'd drop back down at any second.
"Wakey wakey Princess" Gonzales sighed proudly, smirking
"You got what you wanted" Phoenix began, standing closely beside me, his voice rougher than I'd ever heard it, broken
Gonzales nodded "I'm a man of my word Marx"
"I'm sorry, I'm still not following" Oscar was shaking his head, narrowing his eyes on me in an intense gesture of confusion "I thought he was just your neighbor?"
Gonzales rolled his eyes "Brother, your girl was banging Marx the entire time she was stringing you along"
"I thought you weren't in contact with him" I pointed at Oscar "He knew about me because of you"
"No, I knew about you because of Jaston, the fact you and Oscar were hitting it together was merely a coincidence" Gonzales explained
"He's joking, right?" Oscar nearly snarled at me "You and him?" He nodded in between Phoenix and I.
"Your brother is exaggerating" I defended my own pride "I knew him better than I let on, I knew about the fighting, but that's it"
Oscar scoffed, clearly not believing a word I had said. My eyes remained on him, shocked by his now enraged expression.
He seethed and pointed a finger at me "You're a liar!"
This was a side of him I hadn't seen. His anger had the similarity it had with Gonzales.
"You need to back up" Phoenix stepped in, slightly moving his battered body in front of me
Gonzales shot a hand out, pushing his brother back with his arm "Do as he says Scar"
I was surprised, almost waiting for Gonzales to encourage his brother into a fight
"You came for the fight, you took a beating" Garret stepped in front of Phoenix, holding his hand out "You have my word, this is done"
Phoenix hesitated, glancing to the side where Jaz and his side-kicks stood, watching, waiting "And them?"
"They come anywhere near either of you, they'll have me to deal with" Gonzales nodded
"The camera's, the threats, the taunting, everything stops?" Phoenix continued to cover, ensuring that every basis was certain and safe.
Gonzales nodded.
Surely it couldn't be that easy. There was no way that was it, that this was now over and done with.
Phoenix seemed to believe so, because he bravely shook his arch enemies hand, taking his word as truthful, respectful. I stood in disbelief.
Gonzales gave me one last glance over, smiling, and that was when everything became chaotic.
I stood frozen, my head warped while my eyes darted around. I had taken on shock as screams and panic flooded the warehouse. People began running in all directions, a swarm of calls registering in my brain.
Fifty plus bodies had entered the large space, blocking whatever exits they could, guns drawn.
Phoenix remained beside me, but his hands were out in front of his body, his hands clasping a Glock 22.
"Put your hands on your head" Phoenix demanded, pointing his weapon directly at Gonzales "Now!"
It was then Jett who joined the chaos, mimicking his brother, a gun in hand, pointing at Gonzales.
I couldn't move, I couldn't understand.
Slowly, Jett moved towards Gonzales who did as he was told, his eyes wide, his expression wiped free of any pride and satisfaction.
From deep within Jett's jeans pocket, he pulled a pair of handcuffs, tightly shutting them closed around Gonzales wrists behind his back.
"Garret Gonzales, you're under arrest" Jett formally spoke, my head spinning, completely dazed.
This wasn't real. It couldn't be.
Phoenix stood beside me, his arms lowering the moment Jett began walking Gonzales away, reading him his rights.
"Are you okay?" I heard Phoenix's voice, my eyes remaining still on the empty space Gonzales had been, my mouth hanging open
I just shook my head
"Come with me" He urged lowly, placing his hand on my elbow
I was fast to pull away, my eyes snapping back to reality, my brain finally ready to accept what it had pieced together in the last 60 seconds.
"Tell me what's going on, right now!" I demanded, staring at Phoenix, irate
His eyes were soft, nodding "I will, but not here, please, come with me" He tried again.
-
Walking from the warehouse alongside Phoenix, I had observed a whole lot.
Jaston, Reid, Dylan, among dozens of others had been handcuffed by armed police. Rocco, Ryland, Harlan, and Georgie were also escorting men out in handcuffs, guns on their hips, their entire demeanor changed.
I knew instantly what it all meant, but I was remained completely disturbed.
Outside, police cars, vans, trucks were parked scattered at every corner and edge. Blue and red lights flashed through the night, illuminating the darkness.
Time slowed down as I was escorted to a police car, Phoenix gesturing for me to get in. Silently, I did what I was told, sliding into the passenger side of an the unmarked black car, small red and blue lights attached on the inside front window.
It was overwhelming and it made me nauseated.
"Stay here, I'll be back in a minute" Phoenix told me, leaning in the half open window of the closed door.
I nodded, unsure if I was actually going to do as he had said. I began wondering if I would get out and make a run for it.
Five minutes had passed, I sat fidgeting with my hands in my lap, my heart pounding through my ears. My palms were sweating and my eyes were drawn on the mayhem outside.
I kept my eyes on Phoenix who was pulling a navy blue singlet over his top half, wincing while Jett stood beside him, his hands on his hips.
I could in no way make out what they were saying, but it wasn't hard to assume when they occasionally gestured towards where I was sitting in the car.
A further five minutes later, Phoenix began walking back toward me. Only, he wasn't Phoenix. He wasn't the man I knew. His singlet had a small crest on the top left hand side, a police crest. A holster belt was around his waist, a gun strapped in. He wore boots and had at some point put on a pair of black jeans.
I had no idea who this person was, my world had come crashing down on top of me. This had all been a game, this had all been false, every single word he had said, everything he had told me suddenly came into question.
Getting into the drivers seat, I cringed, picking the skin around my fingernails.
My mouth pulled into a tight line as the car started and we slowly pulled away from the scene.
What did I say? Did I need to say anything? A mixture of horror and anger brewed inside of me. I didn't know if I wanted to jump from the moving car, or scream at him for using me as a pawn in his deadly game.
"You must be very confused right now" Phoenix began, his eyes ahead on the road
I grit my teeth, forcing back every ounce of emotion.
"I have a lot of explaining to do"
Now, I couldn't resist "Yes, you do" I snapped
"Everything that happened between you and I, it wasn't an act"
"What's your name 'Phoenix'?" I mocked, enraged, unable to look at him
He gave a sigh, and I could feel his eyes on my face "That is my name"
I scoffed and shook my head "I don't believe you"
"My name is Phoenix Boston, Sergent Phoenix Boston"
His words con-caved my insides, and I chose that very moment to ignore any further interaction with him. I couldn't look at him, I couldn't speak to him, I couldn't believe that I had fallen for someone that I didn't even know. He was a fake, he was a phony, and I had not the slightest idea who I had been talking to, who I had been kissing and spending my nights with. It made me feel physically sick.
Despite my silence, Phoenix continued his attempts to persuade me that his feelings had not been false. I refused to believe him.
It was when we pulled into the underground police station parking, that I fully took in what had happened over the past few months.
Soundlessly, we exited the car, and I was lead into the station. We walked up two flights of stairs into a wide open space where few men sat behind their desks, typing away with their formal blue uniforms on.
When Phoenix's colleagues noticed his beaten look, they began to stare, and then their eyes flickered to me. Something told me they knew who I was, what had just transpired.
Down the hall, we entered a separate room. It appeared to be an office. There was a tidy desk to the side, a lounge in the middle. A coffee and water machine stood against the near wall, a filing cabinet and a bookcase to my left.
Closing the door behind us, I allowed myself to breathe in a more natural manner. I needed to calm myself down, I needed to be strong and get the answers I so desperately needed.
"Have a seat Eden" Phoenix sighed, his hand on his hips, only showcasing his new authority, causing me to shudder
I shook my head, standing in the middle of the room with my arms over my chest
"I've been undercover for years trying to catch these men doing what they're doing" Phoenix began, watching me carefully. It was only then that I noticed he had butterfly stitching over his eyebrow wound, all blood cleaned.
Despite all the rage I felt, I couldn't help but be worried about his health. Had he consulted a real paramedic after having been beaten so badly?
"Why, why was I involved in this?"
"It wasn't meant to be this way" He shook his head, keeping his distance "In the early days, we began doing checks on those who were following the fight rings social media, Bradley and Brody's names came up, and then Penny's due to her relationships with Bradley, after that, I had noticed you were her friend, and you also happened to live across the street from our rental house"
"And why did that prompt you to come knocking on my door that first night?" I asked
"We wanted to see if you knew anything about it, if Penny and Brad had told you anything about the ring. I knew you were keen on pursuing nursing after reading your social media posts and after that, it just became the alternative to having someone show up at the house after every fight, we assumed we could receive medical attention as well as chase up information"
"But I didn't have information, ever, until you were the one who introduced it to my life. All of this happened to me, because of your investigation, you used me" I spat
"When Jaston came into it, I knew he was bad news, , I knew that after that confrontation in the street, you would be in danger"
"What about your sister, and Jett and all of that bullshit about being fighters for years?"
It had to be lies, all of it.
"Half true" He admitted "Jett, he isn't my brother, he's my partner, we've been working together for years on this. He had been a fighter back in the day, but it wasn't in the underground ring, it was legal boxing"
"And your sister?"
"I had been involved in the underground fighting back then, and she did die at the hands of Gonzales, but back then I wasn't a cop. After it happened, Jett found me, he talked me into joining the force, from there on, I worked my ass off to get to where I am now. He helped me into getting revenge, the legal way"
"This is the legal way? You do realize that you've participated in almost every illegal part of this as Gonzales and the others have?"
"It was the only way to have him arrested, along with all of the others. The evidence, the admissions, everything that we have now, it's going to put them away for a long time"
"So that's it then" I scoffed, shrugging "You got your revenge, you got what you wanted, and now what? I'm supposed to shrug this all off and go back to my normal life knowing that my life has been a complete mess because of your undercover mission?"
Slowly, everything started to make sense.
Why they had never called the police, why it hadn't ever bothered them that I could have called the police. Why the police never stormed an underground ring, or scoped it out knowing exactly where and when the fights would happen.
After I had been beaten, it was clear why there had been no investigations into the allegations that Phoenix had 'assaulted' me himself. How they knew that Jaston had been in lockup when the cameras appeared in my home.
Each piece, clicked.
"And Nova, the others?"
"Nova is a friend, most of the others that were at the gym with us, they were either part of our unit, or friends who knew how to handle the situation"
I then thought about Jett, Nova. They had all lied to me. I had put so much trust and personal intimacy into these relationships, and they had all been fake. I felt betrayed in so many ways, and I had no idea how I was supposed to recover from the information.
"Grace" I mumbled, looking at the floor "Her and Jett..."
She had no idea who he was. Was the imminent proposal a part of the game too?
"Grace knows who Jett is"
I shook my head "No, no, no no" I began, pacing the room "Grace doesn't know about all of this, she can't, she wouldn't lie to me like this" I panicked
Phoenix took a brave step towards me "No, all she knows is that Jett is an officer, she doesn't know that we aren't related, or that any of this has happened"
"Why would she keep that secret from me?"
"She thought you would distance yourself from him if you knew. Jett told her that he would keep an eye on you while she was gone, it made her feel better knowing that a police officer lived across the street and knew you well enough to take care of you while she was away, and after you had been assaulted, she trusted in him to find out who did it to you, whether it was me or not" He explained
Unintentionally, I sat on the arm of the lounge chair, biting my nails, exhausted and overwhelmed.
"Do I need to be here, or can I got home now?" I snapped, looking up as I stood.
I didn't want to be there, I didn't want to be around Phoenix, or any of the others. I was not in a forgiving mood, all I wanted was to go home, lay with my dog, and attempt to move on. I wanted to forget everything, I wanted to erase it from my mind, and move on.
"You'll need to make a statement or two" He told me "After that you can chose to go back to the gym or home. Whatever you decide, you'll have to have an officer there with you, just until this all calms down"
"The gym?" I scoffed "You think I'll go back to the gym after this? With who? You?" The words came out a lot more venomous than I had intended
Phoenix bit into his bottom lip, his jaw tensing at the tone of my voice "I understand why you're angry right now Eden" He began softly, taking another step towards me, his arms dropping from his hips
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, genuinely hurt that he felt he couldn't be honest with me from the very beginning
"Trust me, I wanted to, but I had orders, my superintendent thought you would slip up, that you would tell others and blow the whole thing"
"But you still didn't trust that I could keep it to myself?" His excuse didn't mean anything to me, it just proved even more so that he didn't believe that I was worth the truth, no matter what.
He hesitated, knowing that he had no grounds for forgiveness and understanding. I was ashamed that I had let him touch me, in any way shape or form. I wondered if he had thought about the entire lie as I lie beside him, as we kissed. Had it even crossed his mind that one day I would in fact find out? Did he think that he would reveal the truth to me and everything would go back to normal?
"I'm sorry Eden, for everything , and I hope that you can one day believe that. I did lie to you, in many ways I shouldn't have. But I want you to know, that what I said to you, before the fight, every word of it, was true" He ever so slowly moved toward me, and I wanted to back away, but the hold he had on my eyes, it kept my body unmoving in place
"Every time I saw you with another man, it made me unbelievably jealous. Every time we touched, and every night we spent together, it was entirely real, entirely me and entirely how I felt about you"
"I want to believe you..." I mumbled "But I can't"